In the wake of heightened Palestinian violence, justice and welfare ministers wish to repeal clause that protects parents of convicted minors from being held liable.Two cabinet ministers on Thursday proposed a bill to allow for the fining of parents of convicted minors, in an attempt to put a cap on a recent increase in stone-throwing incidents.

The amendment to Israel's criminal codex, which was submitted by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Welfare Minister Haim Katz, invokes the parents' responsibility in cases where minors are convicted of throwing stones. According to the amendment, the minors' parents will incur substantial fines in the tens of thousands of shekels, in addition to punishments handed down to the children. According to the law as it stands today, parents cannot be fined or forced to pay compensation to victims, if their children are convicted and punished for their crime. The only time that fines are enacted is when the children are not convicted on the charges brought against them. This was mainly done to allow the children to rehabilitate themselves without carrying a criminal record for the rest of their lives. If the amendment is passed, courts will be able to fine the parents even if their children are convicted. "We have been living in an absurd situation to date," Shaked explained. "This amendment puts an end to the absurdity, and places the responsibility on the parents' shoulders, which forces them to be aware of their children's actions, while allowing courts to seek fines or compensation for the victims." The framework of the amendment includes a clause which prevents courts from seeking fines before they have allowed parents a chance to express their pleas. If the parents prove that the minor acted on his own recognizance – and not due to their neglect or support, while proving that they actively sought to change his ways – then the courts will reevaluate the decision to fine them. "This is a very important step in the struggle to contain the growing phenomenon of rock throwing," Shaked said, "Every year, hundreds of indictments are submitted against rock throwers." "In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in these crimes, and nearly half of all indictments submitted by the Jerusalem district prosecution are against youths," Shaked concluded. Welfare Minister Katz, who participated in writing the amendment, emphasized that "Throwing stones on a moving vehicle is an act of terror, and the government is committed to protect the safety of its citizens." According to him, "The amendment is one of the ways to contain the phenomenon, while returning the quiet to the streets of Jerusalem." Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein announced two days ago that he would not oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new initiative, which seeks to place mandatory minimum punishments on convicted stone throwers. The AG additionally approved the use of live fire using typically less lethal Ruger .22 caliber rifles in Jerusalem and the West Bank. In the debate which was held by Netanyahu, the government decided to reevaluate the opening of fire regulations against stone and firebomb throwers. The debate occurred against the backdrop of increasing violence throughout Jerusalem. A bus driver was lightly wounded Thursday night in the city when stones hit his bus near the Hizma checkpoint. He was treated by a paramedic team and taken to Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Another bus was also pelted with rocks in the Palestinian district of Ras al-Amud in East Jerusalem, leading its Arab driver to flee and seek help from a nearby police car.

Earlier this week, an Israeli was killed when his car veered off the road after it was hit by stones while driving home from a Rosh Hashana dinner. Police on Friday reinforced their presence in the eastern and western parts of the city, and entrance to the Temple Mount has been restricted to Muslim men over the age of 40 in anticipation of clashes after Friday prayers.

The 10-year old Yousef Sami Yehya Dari is recovering at home from a rubber bullet injury in his back that he suffered in the village of Esawyeh. Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that Yousef was targeted with a rubber bullet while he was heading home on 8/9/2015 and suffered severe bleeding in the spleen. The child’s father explained that his son was injured in the back after he had left school and was heading to buy bread for his mother. While walking in the Schools’ Street in the village of Esawyeh, the occupation soldiers were harassing the residents and students and targeted the child with a rubber bullet and injured him in his back causing damage to the spleen; his condition was described as serious. The child’s father added that his son received treatment at Al-Maqased hospital for 9 days where most it was at the intensive care unit. During that, it was revealed that the level of his immune system has dropped and he needed to take all the medical vaccinations. He pointed out that Yousef still suffers from pains and a state of fatigue and exhaustion and is not allowed to move or walk for one month so he won’t bleed again; he also needs follow-up and additional vaccinations in the coming period.

Tonight, in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron), Israeli forces arrested a 10-year old Palestinian boy twice. Both times he was taken to the military base.

Marwan Sharabati was playing outside his house, riding a bicycle in the street, in the vicinity of a military checkpoint cordoning off part of segregated Shuhada Street for Palestinians. Settlers from the nearby illegal settlements, who are allowed to freely walk down this street, came towards him, stole the bicycle from him and left with it. Whereas Israeli soldiers at the nearby checkpoint did nothing to prevent this or even interfere, they did arrest 10-year old Marwan, telling his family they were just taking him ‘to bring his bicycle back’. When soldiers forced him to walk down the street towards the military base he was clearly scared and crying.

The boy was released from the military base after half an hour and was walked back to the checkpoint by Israeli soldiers. A group of settlers watched the events unfold. Upon Marwan being received by a friend of the family, infamous settler Anat Cohen, charged at an international volunteer attacking her, while soldiers were standing by idly. On Anat Cohen’s request 10-year old Marwan was again arrested by the Israeli army only a few minutes after being released. A Palestinian man, who was with him at that moment insisted to stay at Marwan’s side as he is just a small boy.

Israeli soldiers coerced both of them to walk down the street to the military base and barely stopped settlers from attacking the man and boy along the way. Both of them were blindfolded and made to sit on the ground in the military base, with soldiers verbally insulting them. All requests of informing the parents and allowing the boy to talk to his father were bluntly refused by Israeli soldiers.

The family and friends were, in the meantime, forced to desert the street and go into the house by Israeli soldiers on orders of Anat Cohen. After repeated complaints of her, soldiers entered the house thus funnelling everyone into one room and preventing them from leaving. Only after Anat Cohen left the Palestinians were allowed to leave the house again. This again illustrates the power settlers exercise over the Israeli army, following their orders and whishes.

After more than an hour of being held in the military base, both the boy and the man accompanying him were finally released but had to climb onto the roof of the house to get back inside as settlers were still at the checkpoint close to the house. Even under Israeli law, it is illegal to arrest children under the age of eleven. Still, this is just one out of many cases of child arrests and violations of basic laws that are part of Palestinians’ every day lives.

Two Palestinian children were taken prisoners during clashes on Thursday between Israeli police forces and school students in Occupied Jerusalem.

Limited skirmishes took place between Israeli policemen and school children in Attour district, east of Jerusalem, according to media sources.

The sources added that the policemen fired stun grenades at the students as they were walking back to their homes and kidnapped two of them under age 10 before withdrawing from the area.

The police claimed the two children were detained after they threw stones at its forces during their presence in al-Madares street.

In a similar incident, clashes broke out between school students leaving for their homes and Israeli policemen in Shuafat refugee camp, north of Jerusalem.

Eyewitnesses said the policemen used tear gas against the students, who responded by throwing stones.

The Israeli police recently intensified their presence outside Palestinian schools in Jerusalem and the West Bank in an attempt to provoke clashes with them and force them to throw stones in order to justify their arrest.

The occupation forces arrested on Thursday two children from the village of Al-Tur east of the city of Jerusalem after they had left school and were heading home. Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the occupation forces arrested the 8-year old Tamer Ziad Anati and the 9-year old Zein Ayoub Khweis. Zein’s mother explained that the forces arrested the two children while they were heading home after they left school (Al-Tur Boys School). She added that the forces arrested them under the pretext of throwing stones and transferred them to Jabal Al-Mukabber police station “O’z” for interrogation; note that they were transferred in the police vehicle alone and none of the parents was allowed to attend the interrogation putting the children in an extreme state of fear and panic. Four hours later, they were released and the police never informed the family of the arrest and where the children were detained. Zein’s mother said: “Zein and Samer were arrested while on their way home and were detained for nearly 4 hours in the interrogation room. Our children are supposed to go home and rest after their school day, but the occupation targets the Jerusalemite children and deprives them of security and safety.”

The Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Kufur Qaddoum, near the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia, has reported that Israeli soldiers used excessive force against the weekly protest, wounding three, including a child, with live rounds, while dozens suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation.

Morad Eshteiwy, coordinator of the Popular Committee, said the soldiers invaded the town, fired rounds of live ammunition, gas bombs, and rubber-coated steel bullets on the nonviolent protesters, leading to clashes.

The Committee said a young man, identified as Nasser Barham, suffered a gunshot injury in the leg, Bashar Eshteiwy suffered a gunshot injury in his arm, and a child, identified as Mohammad Abdullah, was also shot in the leg.

In addition, dozens of Palestinians suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation, after the soldiers showered the village with gas bombs, also targeting many homes.

The villagers in Kufur Qaddoum have been holding weekly protests, demanding an end to the Israeli violations, illegal colonies, and the reopening of the main road that has been blockaded by the soldiers for the fourteenth consecutive year.

The army closed the road to enable easy access for the settlers driving to and from the illegal Kedumim colony, built on Palestinian lands.

The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic), in occupied East Jerusalem, has reported that Israeli soldiers invaded, Friday, Sur Baher village, south of Jerusalem, and kidnapped two children. The soldiers also kidnapped an elderly man in the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Center added that the soldiers invaded a few homes in Sur Baher, and kidnapped Mohannad Mahmoud Dabash, 13, and Laith Emad Dabash, 15, before moving them to an interrogation facility in the occupied city.

The soldiers also kidnapped an elderly man, identified as Ziad Abu Ehlayyel, after raising the Palestinian flag in one of the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

On Friday at dawn, soldiers kidnapped a Palestinian teenager, the son of the Manuscripts Department head in the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

His abduction comes just 24 hours after the soldiers kidnapped his brother.

It is worth mentioning that hundreds of soldiers and police officers have been deployed in every part of East Jerusalem, especially in the Old City and all gates of the Al-Aqsa mosque.

The army also decided to prevent all men below the age of 40 to enter the holy site for Friday prayers.

The strategy of Teddy Kollek, the infamous mayor of Jerusalem following Israel's 1967 occupation and subsequent annexation of Jerusalem, was grounded on three principles: separation between the communities in order to reduce friction to a minimum; colonisation on the city's outskirts, in order to create a human wall between the West Bank and Israel; and maintenance of the character of the al Aqsa mosque compound and its management by Jordan.

This strategy proved itself: there were 250,000 new settlers in a real urban belt around occupied East Jerusalem and an international (and widely

misused) image was cultivated – Jerusalem as a city of coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. While the privileges enjoyed by Palestinians in Jerusalem (residency cards allowing them to travel and work on Israeli territory, as well as access Israeli social security) explain the relative calm in the city in recent decades. When revolts did take place, they remained in response to a provocation by Israeli authorities, whether intentional or not, including against the tunnel under al Aqsa, Prime Minister Sharon's 2000 visit to the al Aqsa compound or “prayers” organised by small groups of the extreme right in the area.

The extreme right coming to power changes this game: colonisation is now in the heart of Palestinian neighbourhoods (including Silwan, Sheikh Jarrah and the Muslim Quarter of the Old City), Israel systematically destroys homes built without the nearly impossible to obtain prior permission, administrative decrees are issued that push the Palestinian population out of its city (impossibility of family reunification and acquisition of Jerusalem residency). To this we must add the increasingly violent police behaviour against Palestinians, especially young people, and daily attacks by settlers, including even murder (one year ago, the young Mohammad Abu Khdeir was burnt alive by three Israelis).

In other words: life becomes untenable for many Palestinian residents of the city, and tension continues to grow.

This risk of eruption now centres on Israel's intransigence around the al Aqsa mosque esplanade. The Israeli "visits-prayers" to this area include not only small groups of extreme right-wing settlers, but also Knesset members and even ministers. Police preemptively repressed rallies of young Muslims who were on the esplanade to protect al Aqsa; two Muslim organisations were just now deemed illegal, and the police have repeatedly closed the al Aqsa mosque, not hesitating to bring weapons into this third holiest site in Islam.

This explains why tension tension is rising rapidly in East Jerusalem neighbourhoods, and stone throwing against Jews has become a daily occurrence in the neighbourhoods of the Arab city and its environs.

Rather than addressing the provocating factors, the government adds to this and has chosen to increase repression: increased police, mass arrests of teenagers and even children, substantial jail sentences for throwing stones (which will be considered as "attempted murder" [sic]). Such measures will obviously increase tension and confrontation.

This is what explains the unusually firm cautionary warning of Jordan's King Abdullah II; he recalled the importance of Jerusalem and its mosques to more than one billion Muslims around the world, and called on the Israeli government to immediately put an end to provocations. Otherwise, the Jewish state was taking the risk of a mass uprising in the region and even beyond. It is doubtful that Netanyahu, Ya'alon and Bennett hear the message of their faithful allies.

Media sources have reported, Thursday, that Israeli soldiers kidnapped six Palestinians, including one child, in different parts of the southern West Bank district of Hebron.

The sources said the army invaded Tal'at Abu Hadid area, in the southern area of Hebron, and kidnapped Elias Hazem al-Ja'bari, 26, after attacking him and spraying his face with pepper-spray.

The army also invaded Bani Neim town, east of Hebron, and kidnapped one Palestinian identified as Kayed Hamdan Tarayra, 31.

Soldiers confiscated cameras from a local reporter, identified as Abdul-Hafith al-Hashlamoun, after searching his home in the town.

Coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Beit Ummar town, Mohammad Ayyad Awad, has reported that the soldiers kidnapped Mohammad Falah Abu Mariya, 25, his brother Yahia, 20, and handed their brother, Haidar, 20, a military order for interrogation.

The three brothers are the sons of Falah Abu Mariya, 53, who was killed on Thursday at dawn, July 23, 2015.

He was shot dead by the army, in his own home, as he tried to help his son, Mohammad, who was shot by the soldiers in the pelvis, after they stormed their home.

In addition, soldiers kidnapped Raed Omar Sleibi, 19, and assaulted his brother before spraying his face with pepper-spray; he was moved to a local clinic.

The soldiers also kidnapped a child, identified as Mohannad Mohammad Abu Mariya, 15, after breaking into his family's home.

All kidnapped Palestinians were moved to the Etzion military base for interrogation.

It is worth mentioning that the army have kidnapped 19 Palestinians from Beit Ummar, since the beginning of this month.

The occupation police formed a new unit to execute arrests in the city of Jerusalem as ordered by the chief of police in the city.

Lawyer Mohammad Mahmoud explained that the occupation police formed a new unit named “unit of tracking down stone and Molotov Cocktails-throwers” that will be specialized in arresting Jerusalemites and interrogating them regarding the participation in clashes and throwing Molotov Cocktails and stones.

Lawyer Mahmoud pointed out that the unit’s job will be investigation of throwing stones and Molotov Cocktails only and will be different from the other units in the detention center in terms of responsibilities and capabilities.

The lawyer added that the headquarters of the new unit will be at Jabal Al-Mukabber police station “O’z Center” and said: “the Israeli authorities chose an almost abandoned area away from the Israeli courts and main detention centers to increase the suffering of the families of detainees who will be forced to go back and forth between the court and the new center to follow-up with their sons’ cases.”

He also added that the lawyers are present at courts to follow-up with the various sessions and the location of the new unit in Jabal Al-Mukabber might delay the lawyers when following up with new detainees.

The formation of the new unit comes concurrently with statements and plans made by the head of Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to tighten sanctions on stone and Molotov Cocktails-throwers in which children could be arrested 4-5 years, arresting children above 10 years old that throw Molotov Cocktails and impose fines on their families that could reach up to 100 thousand NIS in addition giving the green light to Israeli soldier to open fire towards stone-throwers and allocate a unit of snipers using “Ruger” riffles to shoot Molotov Cocktails-throwers in Jerusalem, same case like the West Bank.

60 detainees

Wadi Hilweh Information Center explained that the occupation authorities arrested 60 Palestinians since last Sunday until Thursday morning including 26 minors (7 of them under the age of 12-age of responsibility).

The center added that most of the arrested were executed during the clashes in the Old City of Jerusalem concurrently with clashes at Al-Aqsa as 22 people were arrested in addition to arrested executed in Silwan, Esawyeh, Al-Tur, Wad Al-Joz, Sur Baher and Shu’fat refugee camp.

The center pointed out that the occupation authorities and for the first time arrested five young men from inside Al-Qibali Mosque –one of Al-Aqsa mosques.

New arrests

Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the occupation police arrested the 12-year old Ramez Wahid Ajloni, 16-year old Mutaz Sa’eedeh, 13-year old Nabil Nidal Sider and the young men Muhyee Eddin Bkeirat, Naser Amireh and Mutaz Mahmoud Dabsh on Thursday early morning.

At least 15 Palestinian civilians, including eight children, were kidnapped by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) in mass-arrest sweeps launched across Occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank city of al-Khalil at dawn Thursday.

Sources-based in Occupied Jerusalem said the IOF kidnapped eight children after they broke into their family homes.

The IOF rolled into al-Makasid hospital, in Jerusalem’s al-Tur neighborhood, and raked through its corridors and emergency rooms in an attempt to chase down Palestinian protesters injured in the clashes that have flared up at al-Aqsa.

Meanwhile, the IOF nabbed two Palestinian youths from the Old City of al-Khalil, in the southern West Bank, and wreaked havoc on a number of civilian homes.

Youngster Ameer al-Rajabi, released a couple of months ago, was also arrested by the IOF in the process.

The campaign culminated in the abduction of four Palestinians from Beit Ummar.

Identifying the four arrestees, activist Mohamed Awad said the Israeli occupation troops broke into the family home of Falah Abu Maria shortly before they apprehended his two sons Mohamed and Yahya, both in their twenties.

The IOF further summoned Falah’s third son for interrogation before they kidnapped 19-year-old Raed al-Salibi and the 15-year-old minor Muhanad Abu Maria.

The captives were reportedly dragged to the Gush Etzion camp in northern al-Khalil.

Youngster Saed al-Salibi sustained burns and was rushed to a local clinic after the Israeli occupation soldiers pepper-sprayed him.

Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Thursday at dawn, eight Palestinian children after storming their homes in different parts of the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, and several surrounding communities. Sixty Palestinians, including 26 children, have been kidnapped since last Sunday.

Media sources in Jerusalem said the soldiers have kidnapped Nabil Nidal Seder, 13 years of age, while trying to cross the an-Nather Gate of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The soldiers also kidnapped two children, identified as Mo'taz Sa'ida, 16, his brother Ahmad, and Ramez Wahid 'Ajlouni family, 12, in Wad al-Jouz neighborhood, adjacent to the Old City walls.

In addition, soldiers invaded and searched several homes in Sur Baher village, southeast of Jerusalem, and kidnapped three children identified as Mohyeddin Bkeirat, Nasser Jabr 'Amira, and Mo'taz Mahmoud Dabash.

The soldiers also invaded the al-‘Eesawiyya town, in the center of Jerusalem, searched several homes, and kidnapped a child identified as Majd Darweesh.

It is worth mentioning that the Israeli government has recently approved harsh measures against Palestinians, accused of attacking soldiers and illegal settlers, including long prison terms, and fines that reach 100.000 Shekels.

The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic) said part of the new Israeli decisions is forming a special unit for sharpshooters, using the advanced Ruger sniper rifle, to target Palestinians who throw Molotov cocktails.

Silwanic added that the army has kidnapped more than 60 Palestinians, including 26 children (seven of them under 12 years of age) in the short period between Sunday, September 13, and Thursday morning, September 17.

It also said that most of the abductions took place during clashes, and home invasions, in various neighborhoods of the Old City, in addition to Silwan, al-'Eesawiyya, at-Tour, Wadi al-Jouz, Sur Baher and the Shu'fat refugee camp.

The occupation forces chased the students of Silwan Elementary and Silwan Secondary schools on Wednesday morning while they were heading to their schools in the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amoud and fired sound grenades towards them. The forces detained two students after assaulting and beating them.

Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the occupation forces were deployed on Wednesday morning in the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amoud only meters away from Silwan Elementary Boys School and Silwan Secondary Boys School and chased the students and detained and provoked some of them. While deployed in the area, the forces fired a sound grenade towards the students.

The center added that a group of Israeli forces attempted to break into the secondary school but the administrative and teaching staff intervened and confronted them to protect and ensure the safety of the students, who were in a state of fear and panic.

Also, the forces detained the 13-year old Hamzeh Rajabi and the 14-year old Yousef Salah after assaulting and beating them; they also prevented them from going to their schools.

It is noteworthy that Silwan Elementary Boys School has 550 students from 1st grade until 6th grade while Silwan Secondary Boys School has 450 students from 7th grade until 9th grade. The students suffer from the continuous harassment they are exposed to by the occupation forces while heading to school as the forces deliberately deploy in the streets initiating problems.

The occupation forces arrested on Wednesday night two children and one minor from the neighborhood of Bi’er Ayoub in Silwan.

Witnesses informed Wadi Hilweh Information Center that the occupation forces dismounted from the settler’s guards’ vehicle and arrested the 12-year old Amer Siam, 12-year old Sultan Shweiki and the 16-year old Raed Mansour.

Witnesses explained that the forces took the detainees in the settlers’ vehicle; note that there were no clashes or remarkable events in the area.

The lawyer explained that according to the two children the forces suddenly arrested them while they were in the Old City’s markets and took them to Al-Silsileh Gate police station.

Hoshyeh was pushed and punched on his face during the arrest and while detained at the police station. It is noteworthy that they were arrested while heading home after leaving school (Omaryeh and Aytam schools).

On the other hand, the occupation forces arrested the 12-year old Yazan Al-Banna while he was in the village of Al-Tur.

Medical sources in occupied Jerusalem have reported, on Tuesday at night, that a child was shot with an Israeli army rubber-coated steel bullet in her neck while walking with her family in the Salam Park, near the main entrance of the al-‘Eesawiyya town, in the city.

Member of the Follow-up Committee in al-'Eesawiyya, Mohammad Abu al-Hummus, said the wounded child has been identified as Sally Yousef Mheisin, 13 years of age. Palestinian medics provided her with the needed medical treatment, and moved her to a local hospital in Jerusalem.

He added that dozens of soldiers invaded al-'Eesawiyya from various directions, and sprayed many homes, cars and the local mosque, with wastewater mixed with chemicals, during clashes that took place after the invasion.

Besides rubber-coated steel bullets, the soldiers also fired dozens of gas bombs and concussion grenades, before completely blockading the village’s main road.

Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Tuesday at night, a Palestinian child in the at-Tour town, in occupied East Jerusalem, and invaded various Palestinian communities in the city.

The child, identified as Moath Sayyad, 13 years of age, was in the center of the village when the soldiers kidnapped him, and was later moved to the Police Station in Salaheddin Street.

In addition, more clashes took place in various villages and towns in different parts of occupied Jerusalem, including at-Tour, al-‘Eesawiyya, as-Suwwana, Wad Al-Jouz, the Shu'fat refugee camp, 'Anata and ar-Ram.

The Palestinians were protesting the Israeli escalation and violations, and the ongoing invasions into the Al-Aqsa mosque.

The clashes escalated due to repeated invasions, carried out by soldiers and fanatic groups, into the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the attempts to completely control the holy site.